For Study Theme A4 you should know about:
- how FPTP works (advantages and disadvantages)
- how STV works (advantages and disadvantages)
- how AMS works (advantages and disadvantages)
some people say that you may need to know about AV (alternative vote) but I find it highly unlikely that the SQA would be that harsh as it is a very new system and not many students are fully aware of it
- factors which influence voting (social class, age, gender, ethnicity, issues, leadership, party sleaze...)
- the importance of the media (tv debates, the news, newspapers and social networking sites)

This year it seems likely for either a voting system question (FPTP or AMS I guess) or a question specific to media

The voting system question is what got me in the prelim as I got a pathetic 4/15 (however I did run out of time and only got the intro and first paragraph done).

Although I haven't started properly revising yet, I find Study Theme A4 probably the hardest as it's more difficult to make up stuff from the top of your head, unlike a question such as 'Poverty if the most important factor effecting health. Discuss'. But I'm pretty sure I got a question like that in the prelim, and I also did bad at that due to lack of revision for the Health and Wealth unit.

The US is probably the easiest, especially immigration. However if there's a question to do with the President, I'll cry, seeing as it is so confusing!

This goes for anyone stuggling with any particular section of the course, I have notes typed up on possible essay questions for most parts of the course from A4, B5, B6, C9 or C11. If you are stuck with any of them give me a shout (a reply) and I will try and send what I have on that section to you via. a private message.

As for #Nfergs, I can send you a pretty detailed note to do with questions to do with A4 which should help for the final exam or the influences question you were stuck with on the other thread. If I am perfectly honest it does seem rather likely that a President powers/checks and balances question is due up either this year or next year. I think you are overcomplicating the question they will ask as once you break it down they will only ever be asking you about the same thing. The last President question asked about how Congress and Supreme Court successfully limit his powers (to what extent) and would follow the strucutre of...

a) 3 powers of the president (Veto, pocket veto, commander in chief of army, issuing executive orders etc.)
b) 1 way in which congress check a power (most obvious is probably the overturning of a veto)
c) 1 way in which the Supreme Court check a power (e.g. making sure his actions are constitutional)

However the same question will not come up and instead I think a question like "The Executive Branch (president) is the most powerful figure in US government. Discuss'

then you would just talk about 3 powers and then 2 checks on these powers. I hope this helped.

- Principles of the Welfare State (are they being met or not?) <---- not came up in a while
- Gender Inequalities and/or ethnic inequalities (to what extent are they improving?) <---- not came up in a while
- Government Policies (how successful are they in reducing health/wealth inequalities?)
- Indivualist vs. collectivist (be aware of the arguements for welfare on both sides)
- Impact of lifestyle on health (how does it affect health?)
- Impact of income on health (how does it affect health?)
- Other factors which influence health (geography etc.)

In recent years it seems that question B5 is very specific to health i.e. "Lifestyle on health" or "poverty on health" or "income on health" and then question B6 is your wealth question in which the welfare state hasn't appeared since 2007!

Hi,
I have always been told to split my essays in to three sections so am going through my essay list making short plans, I wondered if you could help me with how I would split up a question on south africa; Examine the view that AA policies have enjoyed considerable success in South Africa?
Another question, Critically examine the success of recent governement measures to reduce gender inequalities?
I'm pretty stuck with anything on the NHS or voting systems too Oh dear...

(Original post by hannah94xx)
Hi,
I have always been told to split my essays in to three sections so am going through my essay list making short plans, I wondered if you could help me with how I would split up a question on south africa; Examine the view that AA policies have enjoyed considerable success in South Africa?
Another question, Critically examine the success of recent governement measures to reduce gender inequalities?
I'm pretty stuck with anything on the NHS or voting systems too Oh dear...

By voting systems I'm guessing you mean electoral systems? (Not being picky, just want to make sure)

For the voting/electoral systems question in my prelim I got 4/15... Although I did only do an intro and 1 paragraph due to running out of time.
However, for revision I think it would take me too long to type up essay plans for every single system in comparison to another system, so I'm just going to learn the basics of each system as well as the advantages and disadvantes and then hope for the best!

(Original post by Nfergs)
By voting systems I'm guessing you mean electoral systems? (Not being picky, just want to make sure)

For the voting/electoral systems question in my prelim I got 4/15... Although I did only do an intro and 1 paragraph due to running out of time.
However, for revision I think it would take me too long to type up essay plans for every single system in comparison to another system, so I'm just going to learn the basics of each system as well as the advantages and disadvantes and then hope for the best!

Yes, sorry I meant electoral systems (see what this stress is doing to me!)
My prelim question, luckily, weas on voting behaviour but that seems unlikely to come up in the exam unfortunately

(Original post by scottish19)
This goes for anyone stuggling with any particular section of the course, I have notes typed up on possible essay questions for most parts of the course from A4, B5, B6, C9 or C11. If you are stuck with any of them give me a shout (a reply) and I will try and send what I have on that section to you via. a private message.

As for #Nfergs, I can send you a pretty detailed note to do with questions to do with A4 which should help for the final exam or the influences question you were stuck with on the other thread. If I am perfectly honest it does seem rather likely that a President powers/checks and balances question is due up either this year or next year. I think you are overcomplicating the question they will ask as once you break it down they will only ever be asking you about the same thing. The last President question asked about how Congress and Supreme Court successfully limit his powers (to what extent) and would follow the strucutre of...

a) 3 powers of the president (Veto, pocket veto, commander in chief of army, issuing executive orders etc.)
b) 1 way in which congress check a power (most obvious is probably the overturning of a veto)
c) 1 way in which the Supreme Court check a power (e.g. making sure his actions are constitutional)

However the same question will not come up and instead I think a question like "The Executive Branch (president) is the most powerful figure in US government. Discuss'

then you would just talk about 3 powers and then 2 checks on these powers. I hope this helped.

Hi, I was wondering whether you could send me some notes on Health and Wealth and Political Systems? I have done notes myself but I think I may need a little help!

(Original post by hannah94xx)
Yes, sorry I meant electoral systems (see what this stress is doing to me!)
My prelim question, luckily, weas on voting behaviour but that seems unlikely to come up in the exam unfortunately

Oh I know, I'm so gutted that it might not come up! BUT, the question could come up again with a different named factor *hopefully*. This is probably highly unlikely though...

Im getting really stressed now :L:O:O:O:O:O
what i have been doing to revise for the exam is getting all of my essays that i have done (about 10 of them) and learning them word by word and hope that atleast one of essays will come up for each section.

Anyone know a better way to revise?... Now im thinking of just learning examples from my essay instead of the whole thing then just ramble on when im doing the exam.

Also what are your predictions on the type of essays will come up. My teacher didn't really tell us what type of essays to focus on more.. Im doing questions A4,B5 or B6 ,C9 and C11

Learning the points and examples is probably the best idea to be honest and then make the 'explain' section up from what you know when you're actually in the exam on Thursday. Learning all the essays word for word is far too much and you'll have more chance of forgetting stuff and the question won't be the exact same so you'll have to change bits of them anyways.

(Original post by scottish19)
Learning the points and examples is probably the best idea to be honest and then make the 'explain' section up from what you know when you're actually in the exam on Thursday. Learning all the essays word for word is far too much and you'll have more chance of forgetting stuff and the question won't be the exact same so you'll have to change bits of them anyways.

Good luck.

ha yeah thanks for your reply. I was really stupid to think that i would have the time to learn essays one by one and you're right learning points and examples is way less time consuming and less stressful...

(Original post by StudyAk)
I think most of us are pretty much doing A4,A5 or A6.C9 and C11 but if you feel confident in A2 then you should go for it!

Well I was only taught the context for A2, not A4, so I highly doubt that I'd be able to write a good essay for A4. However I doubt I'll even be able to write a good essay for A2 if I stay on TSR any longer...